The Great Resignation - Understanding the Post-pandemic Job Market

The way we think about work has changed during the pandemic. What might the future hold?

Hear from a panel of executive leaders, recruiters, economists, entrepreneurs and others, including Derek Abbey, '99, (President and CEO, Project Recover), Brittany Bagent (VP of Strategy at Greater Portland Inc.), Kelly Knox, '03, (CFO, TEC Equipment), Nick Poloni, ’15, (multiple award-winning executive recruiter), and Nai Zhao (owner, Charcuterie Me) as they share their experiences and understanding of the current and new job markets

Speakers:

Brittany Bagent is vice president of strategy at Greater Portland Inc. (GPI). Bagent has 10 years of economic development and research experience with bi-state partners across the region. In partnership with Metro, Brittany developed the Greater Portland Economic Recovery Plan, which envisions the region recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger, more resilient, and more equitable with an urgent focus on building opportunities for BIPOC individuals and their businesses. Before GPI, Brittany developed and implemented the comprehensive economic development plan for Clark County, WA and worked as an urban planning consultant supporting clients in and around Chicago to advance effective development recommendations and powerful fiscal tools.

Kelly Knox, ’03, holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in Spanish. After graduating from OSU, he returned to his hometown of Portland to work for KPMG. After eight years in public accounting, he transitioned to the private sector and has held various accounting and finance roles at both private and public companies over the last 11 years. He currently is the CFO at TEC Equipment, one of the largest heavy duty truck dealers on the West Coast with more than 30 locations. He oversees all aspects of accounting, finance, treasury and IT. Knox has also served on various non-profit boards and is currently on the board of HOLLA, a campus-based grassroots mentoring movement in Portland, comprised of first-generation college students and committed professionals who believe in the power of Black and Brown youth. The organization strives to support, represent and empower these children to become future leaders.

Nick Poloni, ’15, is an award-winning executive recruiter and is ranked Top 5 in the world. He focuses within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries where he works with senior leadership to build out sales, marketing and market access teams in specialty therapeutic areas that include oncology, hematology and rare diseases. Poloni helps job-seekers through his understanding of the hiring process from start to finish. He makes candidates stand out not just on paper, but by guiding them through the hiring process to make sure they are a fit within the team culture. His philosophy is simple: “Be a resource." His passion lies in helping people and always being available and helpful while expecting nothing in return.

Nai Zhao grew up in Portland, Oregon, as a first-generation refugee with Iu-Mien heritage. She graduated from Portland State University with a bachelor’s degree in child and family studies, and for the past decade has focused on measuring outcomes for marginalized communities including foster youth and minority entrepreneurs. Most recently, Zhao launched her startup Charcuterie Me, which aims to bring people together through the crowd-pleasing board of meat, cheese and accompaniments. Selling one box at a time through social media, the company began to take off via word of mouth. Charcuterie Me’s first break was a small business segment that premiered on KPTV’s More Good Day Oregon in November 2020. In May 2021, one year after launching Charcuterie Me, amid a worldwide pandemic, Zhao took the biggest risk of her life and left her full-time job to focus on growing Charcuterie Me.

Location

Online